MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

As a researcher for many years in modern-day Pagan religious movements, often referred to as neo-Paganism and involving some sort of revival, re-imagining and adaptation of pre-Christian religion and mythology for modern-day belief and worship, I have become aware of an interesting way in which such Pagan religion intersects with popular culture. Many themes and elements of Paganism are utilized in popular culture, from literature to film to music, sometimes in a merely tangential, decorative way, sometimes with more serious intent. Creators and marketers of popular culture and mass entertainment have found that Paganism sells. This suggests that many people today find Paganism meaningful, or at least entertaining. Through their experience of such Pagan-oriented or “Paganesque” themes and elements in popular culture, mass audiences are able to relate to Paganism in a casual, unthreatening manner, without having to make any serious commitment to it that might conflict with other religious identities that they hold. That is to say, they are able to play with Paganism, and perhaps take some larger or deeper meaning from it, or perhaps not. This subverts the idea that religion is an either-or matter of total commitment or total disbelief, exposing a large middle ground of partial involvement in religion well short of total commitment. This also applies to those who are more deeply involved in modern Paganism as well as those who create Pagan-oriented art forms. They too engage with the religion as something meaningful, inspiring and enjoyable, but this does not necessarily imply an absolute or exclusive commitment. This paper will examine the ways in which different social segments, from Pagan believers to popular culture creators to curious consumers relate to the Pagan–inspired or “Paganesque” dimension of popular culture.